Daughter of Wine

Callida

When I wake up, the sun is out. I'm still in the same clothes as yesterday, but I don't care. I immediately rush back above deck to see if there's any news. 

It looks like I'm the only one who has slept. Jason had managed to put out all the fires in the rigging, and I instinctively start climbing masts and equipment to fix the damage. Piper is staring at her knife intently. No one suggests leaving the area, which is good. I think I might send them overboard too if they try. 

Once I finish repairs, I pace the deck, staring at the water. I'm considering just jumping in myself when three giant pink bubbles burst at the surface of the starboard bow, ejecting Frank, Leo, and Hazel. 

I stare in amazement, unable to move. A flood of emotions washes over me. Relief, mostly, but also anger. They're fine. 

Piper goes a little crazy. She cries out with relief and dives straight into the water. She paddles over to Leo and kisses him on the cheek, which seems to surprise him, 

"Miss me?" He laughs. 

"Where were you? How are you guys alive?" Piper asks, her joy turning to anger. 

"Long story." Leo shrugs. A picnic basket bobs to the surface next to him. "Want a brownie?"

We help them onboard and they change into dry clothes. Poor Frank has to borrow a pair of too-small pants from Jason. We all gather on the quarterdeck for a celebratory breakfast. Except for Coach Hedge, who grumbles that the atmosphere is getting too cuddly for his tastes and goes below to hammer out some dents in the hull. While Leo fusses over his helm controls, Hazel and Frank relate the story of the fish-centaurs and their training camp. 

"Incredible." Jason says. "These are really good brownies."

I'm still not hungry. I'm happy to see my friends, I really am. But I'm also really angry, and I can't put my finger on exactly why. I'm mad at Leo for obvious reasons, but I'm also mad that he popped back up like nothing happened. Does he not realize how worried we all were?

"That's your only comment?" I demand, my arms crossed.

He looks surprised. "What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople. Letter of intro to the Tiber River god. Got it. But these brownies-"

"I know." Frank says, his mouth full. "Try them with Esther's peach preserves."

"That," Hazel says, "is incredibly disgusting."

"Pass me the jar, man." Jason shrugs. 

Hazel and Piper exchange a look of total exasperation.

Percy, on the other hand, wants to hear every detail about the aquatic camp. He keeps coming back to one point. "They didn't want to meet me?"

"It wasn't that." Hazel explains. "Just... undersea politics, I guess. The merpeople are territorial. The good news is that're taking care of that aquarium in Atlanta. And they'll help protect the Argo II as we cross the Atlantic."

Percy nods absently. "But they didn't want to meet me?"

Annabeth swats his arm. "Come on, Seaweed Brain! We've got other things to worry about!"

"She's right." Hazel agrees. "After today, Nico has less than two days. The fish-centaurs said we have to rescue him. He's essential to the quest somehow." She looks around defensively, as if waiting for someone to argue. No one does. 

"Nico must have information about the Doors of Death." I grumble. I'm still fuming, despite my efforts to calm down. I feel like I"m going to boil over at any point, but I still try to speak calmly. "We'll save him, Hazel. We can make it in time."